Earlier this summer we were treated to a display of the musical talent in the cultural hothouse that is South Kensington: however, the Exhibition Road Music Day was just the tip of the iceberg. Starting from yesterday until 27 August, there will be a new artistic approach to celebrating and exploring what we already know about the area and, even better, what we didn't know and would be pleasantly surprised to discover...
International arts organisation Motiroti have organised a multi-layered artwork called Priceless based on Exhibition Road "London's premier cultural and learning quarter." Institutions that line the road have contributed objects to inspire an imaginative journey; people's responses and stories to these objects have been collected and are shown through audiovisual portraits, mobile exhibitions, installations and large-scale projections. If you're in the area over the next few weeks, keep an eye out for:
- Graphic installations lining the foot tunnel that connects South Kensington station to the big museums
- Imperial College's Probot - this sophisticated robot is the result of bringing engineers and surgeons together
- Electrical walks at the Goethe-Institut: pick up a set of special headphones from the Institut that will make audible the electromagnetic fields that surround us all the time
- Check out the Platform for Art installations in South Kensington station itself
- Free guided tours led by artists on specific dates - check the programme for details
The official launch of Priceless takes place on Friday 11 August at the Serpentine gallery from 7.00pm, with the rather cryptic-sounding "street takeover, large scale projections and buskers' orchestra" starting at 9.00pm. Entry is free - and you get to hang out in the Serpentine Pavilion, which is no bad place to be on a Friday night in the summer.
Priceless runs from today until 27 August at various locations along Exhibition Road, entry to all events is free. For more information on Priceless and Motiroti, go to the website here.
